The Friend Line
by awish0921
Summary: Edward Cullen, one of Gucci's top suit models is also a bit of a player. Can the one constant girl who's been in his life for the past three years change this playboy's ways, even if he's only ever seen her as his best friend? What happens when two friend cross the unspoken friend line? Will it tear them apart or make them see what's been right in front of them?
1. Beer and Pizza

**Hi Everyone! Welcome to my new story. I am still in complete shock to the response to You Came Around and I am looking forward to stating this new journey with all of you. This was a story I posted a long while ago but lost interest, so I pulled it after only two chapters. Well it came back to me, so its been revamped, and now it won't leave me alone! **

**Some housekeeping before we start. I am looking to post this one every Tuesday. So once a week, no bad. This one will be told from Bella's POV. I have a couple chapters that Edward will check in with us, but 85% of it is from Bella. **

**Please come join my FB group, Awish's Fanfiction. I will be posting teasers and pictures from this story quite often, so come join if you're not already a member. **

**Banners for this story was created by my amazing Beta, Chandrakanta. I would be lost without her!**

**And of course, I own nothing but the plot. Okay so let's go on with it. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

The Friend Line

Chapter One: Beer and Pizza

* * *

Ring

Ring

Ring

"Are you going to answer that?" I asked, looking up from my lunch with a raised eyebrow.

"No, it's not important," he said, taking a bite of his burger.

"Who was it? Come on, tell me."

He didn't answer me so, when he went to grab his beer, I grabbed his iPhone and scrolled through his contacts.

"Jesus Christ, Edward… you missed a call from Big Tit Blonde? You're kidding me, right?"

"Bella, give me back my phone," he growled. He tried to reach over the table, but I pulled back in my chair, just out of his reach.

"No, wait," I said, scrolling though his contacts some more. "Small tits red head, tight pussy blonde, horny brunette? Edward, do you not know any of these girls' names that you've fucked?"

"Yes, I know their names!" he spat back at me.

"Oh yeah, well then, what's the girl's name that just called?"

"It's Brandy… or Mandy… fuck, I don't know. I can't remember names," he admitted and then swigged his beer in frustration.

"You are such a man whore!" I shouted to him, tossing him his phone. "I mean really, Edward, if we weren't best friends, I don't think I could stand you right now. You remember girls you fuck by their hair color and body parts. Wow, and here I thought chivalry was dead."

"Well, when you have so many, it's hard to keep track," he boasted back to me with a cocky smile. "Besides, they don't seem to mind, especially since they always get a happy ending."

"I hope you at least wear a condom."

"Every time, no sock no cock."

"Oh my god, you are such a douche!"

"No, Bella… I'm just that good." He smiled, swigging his beer. "I always leave them begging for more."

I bet he did.

(*)

I was home on a Saturday night, bored out of my mind. This was beginning to be my usual. Just me, some take out, and a bad movie; hence the usual. I basically had no life; I lived in one of the best cities in the country and nothing. Well, I guess I can't saying nothing; I had a great job doing what I love to do.

I was the senior photographer at Gucci and I was one of the best in the industry. I photographed many celebrities and models and a lot of my photos were featured in some of the most prestigious magazines from all over the world. So no, I can't exactly say I don't have a life—I do—I just don't have a love life.

I have lived in Los Angeles for five years now; before that, I lived in Forks, Washington since I was seventeen when I moved in with my dad from living with my mom in Phoenix. I had decided to go to WSU for Photography and graduated top in my class. After college, I went back home to Forks and then shortly after that I moved to LA with my dad's blessing and got a job at a small photography firm. Not long after moving to LA, I met my ex, Jacob. He was an actor; independent films mostly, but nonetheless an actor. We started dating after meeting at a party and were together for two years.

I thought I was in love; hell, I would have sworn to it at the time, but then I realized I was wrong. My relationship with Jacob ended when he cheated on me with one of his co-stars. I never saw it coming because it wasn't unusual for Jacob and I to be separated due to his work. He was always traveling, so when he decided to throw our relationship out the window, I was the last to know. That was three years ago, and ever since then I've been avoiding the whole subject of dating.

I'll admit I was a little gun shy. The whole idea of trusting someone again made my gut hurt. So, I threw myself into my work and that has been my life. I've been with Gucci for three years and I love it. It's been one of the best things that had happened to me. The money is insane and, because of that, I was able to buy myself a nice house in Los Feliz. And I was also able to give back to my parents for all of their help with putting me through school.

I flipped through the channels on the TV, but nothing piqued my interest. I picked up a magazine, but after about five seconds, I tossed it back on the coffee table. I was about to just go upstairs to bed when my cell phone buzzed with a text message. I reached for my phone, smiling when I saw whom the message from.

Edward.

**Beer and Pizza. Be there in 10 minutes – E**

**What makes u think I'm home? – B**

As I waited for his response, my mind wandered. Edward and I had become very good friends over the past couple years.

Friends… yes, just friends is all we were.

As much as I tried not to think about it, I wanted more, I always wanted more. He was the first guy since Jacob who gave me butterflies.

However, Edward was a bit of a ladies man. He always had a new flavor or two of the week and I was always there to listen when he dumped one and moved on to the next conquest. After all, I was his friend and he told me everything. Sometimes more than what I wanted to hear, especially when he would tell me about the great fuck he had the other night or how he had three dates lined up for the following week. Damn, he was a fucking man whore and he didn't seem to give a shit. He'd always said he was young and he was going to have fun no matter what. Meanwhile, I'd sit back and secretly wish he would see me standing right in front of him… but he never did. I was just Bella, his friend.

I was really beginning to hate that word.

We had been friends since Edward moved out to LA from London, where he was born and raised, three years ago. He was a model for Gucci London, but the company wanted him to expand on his market so they brought him out to LA and I was the first photographer to do a shoot with him.

He was positively one of the most beautiful men I had ever seen. He was 28 years old, tall, just over six feet with a slender build, but don't let the slender part fool you; he was built. The first time I saw Edward without his shirt on, I almost fell to the floor. His chest was perfect, he has just the right amount of chest hair, and his skin looked so soft.

I wanted to lick him.

He had piercing green eyes and bronze hair that was always a glorious mess. It was his trademark, to say the least, not to mention his English accent was sexy as hell.

I mostly photographed him in Gucci suits and, goddamn, he cleaned up well. Our working relationship was easy; after that first day, I had photographed him a few more times for various different campaigns. Then one night after a long shoot, he asked me to get a drink with him and we had been friends ever since.

My phone buzzed again

**Are u finally getting laid? – E**

**Ugh, no. Whatever, just come over. – B**

I tossed my iPhone on the coffee table and grumbled. I haven't been laid in three years and he knew it. Unlike him, I had scruples.

Five minutes later, there was a knock at the door. As I got up from the couch, I realized that I was still in my shorts and tank top and my hair was on top of my head in a messy ponytail. I wish I had time to change, but it was almost eleven o'clock at night, and had Edward not been at my door, my ass would have been in bed.

Pathetic.

At least my legs were shaved since they were bare.

I opened my door and my breath caught in my throat when I saw him. He was in jeans and a dark gray t-shirt and his hair was all over the place. He looked… well, he looked… freshly fucked.

Damn.

"Are you going to let me in before I drop this shit?" he asked, as he held the pizza box and a six-pack of beer.

"Oh, sorry... here, give me that," I offered, opening the door wider and taking the beer from him.

"Thanks."

I walked into the living room and took a beer out of the pack. I really needed one now. Edward set the pizza box on the table and kicked off his converse. I handed him a beer and we each took a slice of pizza.

"Did you go out tonight?" I asked him with a mouth full of pizza.

"Yeah… I had a date."

"Of course you did." I swigged my beer. "Did you at least shower before you came over?"

"Yes, I did." He took a bite of pizza. "I jizzed on my pants, so I had to go home after I took… her home."

"T. M. I., Edward, I mean, damn, did you fuck her in your car or something?" He didn't answer, he just smiled and chewed. "You have no shame."

"Come on, Bella, don't be such a prude."

"I'm not a prude, I just have some standards, unlike big titted blonde and tight pussy red head."

"You should talk dirty more often."

"Shut up!"

There was some silence as we continued to drink and eat our pizza. I needed to change the subject, as I no longer wanted to hear about him having sex with other girls.

"Did you get the schedule for next week?" I asked him. "We have a shoot on Monday."

"Yeah, I know, I got it," he replied. "The suit needs to be altered, though; the pants are too short"

"I saw the order on my desk for a new pair; somehow they got your inseam measurement wrong."

"You're my photographer, how do you know about my inseam measurement?" he questioned, looking at me with a smile that made my pussy tingle.

"I know everything, Edward, you should know that by now."

"Oh, right, should have known better, Miss Perfect."

I giggled at him and then fell back on the couch, resting on the pillow. My legs were bent at the knee as Edward was in my way, preventing me from stretching out.

"Want to watch TV?" he asked.

"Sure, here," I agreed, tossing the remote, "find something."

He flipped through the channels and settled on some horror movie, knowing full well I hate scary movies. After about five minutes, I was hiding behind a pillow and Edward was laughing at me.

"You are such a pussy, Bella," he teased with a laugh.

"No, I'm not a pussy. I have a pussy."

"Well, if you don't use it soon, you're gonna get cobwebs."

"You are so gross," I complained, tossing a pillow at him, hitting him right on the side of his head.

"Oh, you really shouldn't have done that," he said, and before I could react he was tickling my sides.

"Edward! Stop! No, please," I shrieked.

"Say you're sorry for throwing that pillow at me."

"Never, you deserved it."

"Well then, you deserve this."

He moved so he was just about on top of me, his one leg in between mine, and continued to attack my sides with his fingers. I wiggled under him, but I could not break free, he was too strong. Then there was a moment when he stopped tickling me and looked in my eyes, his jade eyes nearly burning holes through me. I could feel his weight on me and it made me wet. His scent filled my lungs and I was about to moan out when he cleared his throat and moved his body from mine. He went back to other side of the couch and smirked at me.

"Asshole!" I shouted at him.

"Sore loser."

I scoffed at him and kicked his thigh with my foot.

"Be nice, little girl, you will lose again," he warned, grabbing my ankles and placed my bare legs on his lap, trapping them under his hands.

I didn't say anything because I knew he was right. I was much too small and he was much too strong for me to take him on in another tickle fight.

I gasped when I felt his hand running down my bare calf. I looked over at him, but sighed when I saw his attention was back on the movie. I closed my eyes as I concentrated on the feel of his hands on my legs. His hands were so warm and soft and I really wanted him to never stop touching me. He continued this torture on my skin for the remainder of the movie.

Once the credits started, he removed his hands and stretched his arms over his head, letting out a loud yawn.

"It's late," he said.

"Yeah, it is," I replied and I quickly pulled my legs off him to sit up.

"I'm gonna head out. I'll see you on Monday at the shoot?"

"Make sure you get enough sleep tomorrow night so you don't have bags under your eyes; the camera doesn't like tired models."

"I do not have bags under my eyes," he spat.

"Well, even still, it wouldn't kill you to take a night off from your second job."

"My second job?"

"Yeah, fucking," I said with a giggle.

"Ha ha, you're so funny."

I laughed as we both stood to our feet. He put his shoes back on and headed to the front door with me behind him.

"See you later, Bella, good night," he said as he turned back to look at me before opening the door and stepping out onto my porch.

"Night, Edward."

I watched him walk down my walkway and get into his Volvo. I closed the door as he backed out of my driveway.

I grumbled all the way up to my bedroom. As soon as my body hit my bed, I was passed out from frustration.

* * *

**A/N: So there was CH 1. Love it? Hate it? Let me know. **

**Chapter 2 will post next week! **

**Please Review.**

**XOXO**


	2. Strike a Pose

**Wow, I am really blown away from the response from the first chapter of this new tale of mine. I am glad you are all enjoying it so far. Thanks to all who have reviewed and who have added the story to your favorite / follow lists!**

**Once again, I'm going to post this story once a week, either Mondays or Tuesday, we'll see, but definitely once a week.**

**This chapter and every chapter is beta'd by Chandrakanta, she's also helped me out the banners and some other pictures that are yet to come.**

**To answer a question: Yes, will hear from Edward in a couple more chapters, but this one is mostly told by Bella. But no worries, we will get a look into Edward's mind soon, promise.**

**Okay, so let's get on with it.**

* * *

**The Friend Line**

**Chapter Two: Strike a Pose**

* * *

Monday morning—whatever.

Dressed in my usual jeans and tank top, I was so glad I didn't have a dress code at work. I was all about being comfortable, and as long as I had on jeans and a tank or t-shirt with some converse, I was set to go.

I was in my office going over some notes from Gucci's executives on what was expected from today's shoot. I was mostly left to make the decisions but they always had to put their two cents in.

When it came to shoots with Edward, things ran pretty easily. He always took direction and trusted me to know what angles, poses, and lighting looked good for him.

I had proofs from the last photo shoots scattered all over my desk. Edward truly did take beautiful pictures; it was like he was born to be in front of the camera. His eyes were so green and is jawline was perfection. Most of his pictures were with a seductive look, but every once in a while, he would let his smile loose and those pictures were truly my favorites. Edward had a great smile, and when he smiled his whole composure shifted.

While deep in concentration, gazing at the proofs, my office door opened and a cup of Starbucks was placed in front of me. When I looked up, said smile was looking back at me.

"Good morning," he offered. "Thought you might want this."

"Thanks," I replied. I picked up the cup and sipped the caffeinated goodness. "You're here early." I had to tear my eyes away from him; he just looked so good, even first thing in the damn morning. I needed to focus.

"Yeah, I know. I was up so I thought I'd just come in."

"Did you stay in last night? Oh wait, let me guess… Miss Long Legs met up with you at your place so you didn't have to go out?"

"No," he quipped. "For your information, Bella, I did stay in last night. Alone."

"Wow, Edward, I didn't get the memo that it snowed in hell last night." I laughed. "I'm surprised you didn't call someone to keep you company."

"No, I never bring anyone back to my place, you know that," he pointed out. "That's too personal."

"Well, things can change."

"Not likely; you're like the only girl that has seen my place, but you don't count," he snickered, effectively getting me back for my snowing in hell comment. Not going to lie, it kind of made me happy that I was the only girl in his life that had seen his condo.

"Thanks a lot, friend," I said and then threw a Post-it Note pad at him.

We continued to laugh and then we got serious as the topic of work had to be discussed.

"Your pants came in, they're in your dressing room. They should fit fine now."

"Okay, that's good," he said. Edward sipped his coffee and then stood to his feet. "Well, I'm gonna go to hair and makeup and then get dressed."

"I'll see you out there," I replied. He nodded and then he left my office.

I took a deep breath and then picked up the phone to call my assistant, Kate. She was in my office shortly after. Kate and I had a great working relationship; she was the best assistant I ever had and I considered her a friend as well.

"Is everything ready to go?" I asked her.

"Yeah, your camera is loaded, extra film on the side. The lighting crew is making last minute adjustments, and Edward is in hair and makeup."

"Okay, great. Thanks, Kate. You know I'd be lost without you."

"Oh I know," she said as she laughed. "Is there anything else you need, Bella?"

"Just make sure as soon as we're done, the proofs are uploaded to my computer as soon as possible. I have the higher ups snapping at my heels on this shoot."

"No problem."

"Tell Edward, I'm ready when he is."

Kate nodded and left my office. I drank the rest of my coffee and headed out to the set. I assessed my camera and made sure the lighting was perfect.

I looked up when I saw Edward walk on set in a dark gray suit with a striped shirt and black skinny tie. His hair was scattered everywhere, looking like someone just ran their fingers roughly through it.

Gah!

And this is why he does what he does and gets all the ass he wants. Because he looks like THAT in his fucking suit.

I took a deep breath, trying to get myself to focus on the task at hand that would be my job and not focus on how damp my panties were.

Gah!

"Okay, let's get started," I said as I picked up my camera and turned on the radio.

_I'll always think of you  
Inside of my private thoughts  
I can imagine you  
Touching my private parts  
With just the thought of you  
I can't help but touch myself  
That's why I want you so bad  
Just one night of  
Moonlights, with you there beside me  
All night, doin' it again and again  
You know I want you so bad  
Baby, baby, baby, baby_

Oooh I get so high  
When I'm around you baby  
I can touch the sky  
You make my temperature rise  
You're makin' me high

I snapped my camera over and over, taking many pictures. Edward moved around doing different poses. I looked up from behind my camera and cleared my throat before I spoke.

"Edward, can you unbutton your jacket?" I asked.

He did as I asked and let it hang open. I took several more dozen pictures of Edward standing up, sitting on a bar stool, jacket unbuttoned, jacket off, jacket back on. The camera loved him and he knew how to manipulate it with his eyes.

_Can't get my mind off you  
I think I might be obsessed  
The very thought of you  
Makes me want to get undressed  
I wanna be with you  
In spite of that my heart says  
I guess I want you so bad  
All I want is  
Moonlights, with you there inside me  
All night, doin' it again and again  
You know I want you so bad  
Baby, baby, baby, baby_

I had Edward change into a jet-black suit with a white dress shirt underneath. This time there was no tie and I had him leave the first three buttons of his shirt undone. His smile was so damn sexy; hell, all of him was. _  
_

_Oooh I get so high  
When I'm around you baby  
I can touch the sky  
You make my temperature rise  
You're makin' me high  
Baby, baby, baby, baby_

I want to feel your heart and soul inside of me  
Let's make a deal you roll, I lick  
And we can go flying into ecstasy  
Oh Darlin' you and me  
Light my fire  
Blow my flame  
Take me, take me, take me away

The last outfit was a Gucci sweater and black pants. I had Edward sitting on a stool with his hands in his lap. This was probably my favorite look of the day. His hair was messed up even more from the wardrobe changing and I swear his eyes were greener, if that's even possible._  
_

Finally, after a few hours of taking dozens of pictures of sex-on-legs that was Edward, the shoot was over.

"Okay, everyone, that's a wrap. Edward, great job as always," I said. I smiled at him and walked off the set and back to my office.

Once in my office, I leaned up against the closed door.

"That's it!" I shouted out loud to myself. Edward was my best friend and to have these thoughts and feelings for him was not right and it had to stop.

Yes, he was insanely good looking but he was clearly looking for something in life that I was not. We were friends and that was all it ever could be. I needed to get out; I needed a girl's night. I needed to clear my mind from all things Edward.

I needed a drink!

I reached over, picked up my office phone, and quickly dialed a number.

"Hello?"

"Leah, it's me," I said.

"Hey, Bella, how's it going? Are you at work?"

"Yeah, I just finished a shoot with Edward."

"Oh, Edward, sex god Edward?"

"Can we not refer to him as the sex god, please?"

"Hey, I just call it like it is," she said with a laugh.

"Anyway, I am in need a of drink after work, interested?"

"When do you know me to pass up a drink and when do you know me to pass up going out with one of my best girls?"

"I was really hoping you'd say that."

"How about Les Duex? Say about seven?"

"Sounds good. See you then," I said and then hung up the phone.

With Edward having a meeting right after the shoot, I didn't get a chance to see him for the rest of the day, which was just as well. I needed some air.

(*)

I got done work a little early and went straight home to relax and change. Les Duex was a higher end bar so I decided on a pair of black pants with my black pumps and a blue off-the-shoulder top. I grabbed my purse and keys and headed out to my car.

I pulled up to the valet at Les Duex and handed the driver my keys. I then made my way inside and spotted Leah at the bar.

"Hey," I said, hugging her.

"Hey, Bella," she replied, hugging me back. "I'm so glad you called; it's been too long since we've been out."

"I know, I'm sorry," I said. I sat down on the stool next to her and ordered a vodka martini. I needed something strong.

"So, how have you been?" Leah asked, sipping her drink. "I haven't seen you in three weeks."

"I know," I replied. "Work has been crazy. The company is giving me all kinds of pressure to get the photos done for the next ad campaign, so I've been putting in a lot of hours and doing more shoots so I can get the right pictures."

"Well, I'm sure Edward makes all of that worth it."

"Leah, seriously? He's just a model."

"And a fine one at that." She smiled. "And... he's also your friend."

"Yes, he's my friend, this you know."

"Is that all that he is, Bella? Really?"

I almost choked on my martini from her question. "Excuse me?" I hissed. I dabbed my mouth with a napkin. "What do you mean is that all he is?"

"Oh come on ,Bella, how long have I known you? I know you have feelings for Edward. Would you just admit it already?"

"Yeah, I do, it's called friendship."

"Bullshit," she spat. "You know that's not what I meant."

"Leah, he's a fucking player. Girls line up to date him and he takes them out one by one and fucks them in his car or any other flat surface he can find."

"Am I detecting some jealousy?"

"Jealousy? Of mindless, meaningless sex with a guy who doesn't even remember names? No, thank you." I looked away from her and sipped my drink. I was starting to feel uncomfortable because I knew Leah could see right through me.

"Well, you have to admit, Bella, it's been a long time since you were last with Jake. Don't you just want to get laid?"

"Sure, who doesn't, but not by someone who only sees me as a friend." I took a deep breath and another sip of my drink. "After Jake, I swore I would never fall for someone who didn't want me back. Besides, I can't cross that line with Edward. I actually like having him as my friend, and if anything were to happen, it would ruin that."

"Oh please, so if Edward told you he wanted to fuck you into next week, you wouldn't let him?"

"First of all, Edward would never say that to me because he doesn't want me like that. Trust me, we have been alone hundreds of times and he has never once tried to make a move on me, even when he was drunk, so it's not like that. Second, even though he is a little loose with his dick, he is still my friend. He was one of the first people I met when I moved out here and I would never want him to not be my friend. And third," I huffed, "well, fuck, I don't have a third, but you get my point."

"I still think you'd fuck him," she said as she took another sip of her drink and then her eyes went to the front door of the bar. "Well, speak of Mr. Loose Dick himself."

Leah motioned over to the door and I followed her gaze. There at the door was Edward looking fuck-hot as usual with a blonde clutching his arm. He was wearing jeans and a green button-down shirt. I had to look away.

"Wonderful," I muttered into my drink. "See, point in case."

Edward's eyes landed on mine and I saw him whisper something into the blonde's ear; she giggled and then walked away from him. He then started walking in our direction.

"Ladies… fancy meeting you here tonight," he stated, standing between Leah's chair and mine and placing his hand on the back of mine.

"Hey, Edward," Leah said.

"Leah, good to see you," he responded and then he looked at me. "Sorry I didn't see you after the shoot today, Bella. My meeting was longer than expected."

"No problem, I left the office not too long after the shoot. I had um... some things I had to take care of," I said, taking a sip of my martini. "So, where did you send your date off to?"

"She's getting a table," he responded, looking towards the back of the bar and then he looked at me again. "Well um… I guess I'll leave you ladies to your evening. Leah, nice seeing you. Bella, I'll talk to you soon?"

"Yeah, sure," I said.

He nodded and then walked away.

"Fuck, he is hot," Leah said. "Shit. I'd fuck him. And his accent, so sexy."

"Leah!" I spat.

"What? I'm just being honest," she said. "Oh, and you can cut the sexual tension with a knife."

"What, with him and the blonde, please," I huffed.

"No, bitch, with you and him. You two really just need to fuck each other and get it over with."

"Not gonna happen and what do you mean sexual tension?"

"Bella, it was like pouring out of both of you. Hell, I was starting to get horny from it. I think my nipples are hard." She moved her hand up to her breasts and squeezed them. "Damn, I think I'd do you, Bella."

"You're insane, there is no tension between us, we're just friends."

"Yeah, so you keep saying over and over again," she said. "Okay, I'm going to let this go for now, but friends or no friends, there's some tension there. And I think you know it."

"Bottom line, that," I motioned to where Edward was sitting, "is what he goes for. I'm not one of those girls and I never will be."

I finished my martini and ordered another. I spotted Edward from across from the bar with the blonde. He was laughing and drinking his beer. He whispered something again in her ear and she smiled, nodding her head 'yes.' Edward stood up, throwing some money on the table, and then took her hand in his as they exited the bar. I tried not to let it bother me, but who was I kidding, really?

* * *

**A/N: Can you feel the tension as much as Leah did? When will these two get a clue?**

**Check out my FB group, Awish's Fanfiction. I have a new group banner, of course made by Chandrakanta, and there are lost of Edward in a suit yumminess pix. I will be posting pix from each chapter. I will also post links to songs if they are used in the chapter like this one. **

**See you all next week... Please Review!**

**XOXO**


	3. Model Down

**If you missed it, I posted a teaser to this chapter in my FB group... let's see what happened, shall we?**

* * *

**The Friend Line**

**Chapter Three – Model Down **

* * *

The next morning I was driving into work, trying to clear my head. Seeing Edward last night with one of his phone book floozies was not easy, but it also was something I had to accept, even though I never wanted to see it again. Seeing it and hearing about it were two very different things and putting a face on one of those girls was not something I needed.

Edward and I had been friends for over three years and this was something I always knew about him—it was the kind of life he lived—and I was always going to want more than just one night.

I was a relationship girl. I liked the idea of having one man to come to home to. One man to call me just to tell me he loves me. One man I can trust with my whole heart and who will trust me with his. I could never do what Jake did or what Edward does. I wasn't built like that. I wanted more, more than they both could clearly give me.

"Hello?" I said, pushing the button on my steering wheel to answer my bluetooth.

"Bella, it's Kate, have you heard from Edward?"

"No, not since last night. He's not there yet?"

Edward was scheduled to do a quick shoot today with one more suit that Gucci wanted him in. I was running late so I just assumed Edward was already there.

"No, he never showed. I tried calling his cell phone and there was no answer."

"Okay, umm… let me try," I said. "I'll call you back, Kate." I disconnected Kate's call and activated my bluetooth with a new call. "Call Edward," I said. The phone started to ring and, after just one ring, his voice-mail picked up. "Shit," I cursed, "Where the hell are you, Edward?"

I wasn't far from Edward's condo so I decided to see if he was there. This was so unlike him to be late for work. If anything else, Edward was very professional and took his work very seriously, so for him to not show for a shoot was not at all something he would blow off on purpose.

I pulled up to Edward's building and saw his car parked outside. He was home, so what the hell? I pulled in next to his Volvo and headed into the building. Once inside I got on the elevator and took it up to the 5th floor. When I got to Edward's door, I knocked.

No answer.

I knocked again, still no answer.

I reached for the doorknob and was surprised to see the door was unlocked. I slowly opened the door as I knocked again.

"Edward?" I called out, peeking my head inside. There was no answer.

I slowly walked through the door and down the hallway, which lead to his kitchen. I looked around and there was still no sign of him.

"Edward, are you home? It's Bella."

I walked through the living room and then down the other hallway that led to his bedroom. In the two times I've been at his place, I had never been in his bedroom, but it wasn't hard to find. I found it at the end of the hall and saw his bed was still made.

My heart sank; this made no sense.

My attention then went to the bathroom. The door was halfway opened and I could see a dim light coming from inside. I swallowed hard and then walked towards the door. I pushed it open some and gasped when I saw Edward lying on the floor, curled up like a little boy. The bathroom reeked of vomit and the toilet seat was up.

"Edward!" I gasped. I dropped my purse on the floor and lowered myself to the floor beside him. He was in a pair of flannel sleep pants and a black tank top. His skin was clammy and pale and he felt hot. "Edward," I said again as I tried to shake him awake.

His eyes fluttered open and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Bella?"

"Yeah, it's me," I replied, rubbing his arm.

"Oh god," he moaned and then he quickly got to his knees and vomited in the toilet. I moved so I was now behind him, rubbing his back. I then got up and rinsed out a washcloth for him. Once he was finished, he sank back down on the floor.

"No, Edward, I need for you to get up."

"I don't think I can," he groaned.

"Well, you have to try," I insisted. I flushed the toilet and put the seat and lid down. I reached for his arm and put it around my neck. "Come on, you have to help me; I can't lift you up by myself."

He grumbled as he held onto me. I was able to get him to sit on the closed toilet as he leaned his one arm on the vanity. I took a washcloth and wiped his face. I didn't think I had ever seen Edward this sick before. As I wiped his face with the cool cloth I was surprised that even as sick as he was, he was still so beautiful. I brushed his hair out of his eyes; it was wet from sweat, but still so soft. After I was finished, I then handed him a cup of water.

"Small sips, just to wet your throat," I instructed. He took the cup from me and sipped the water. After he took a couple small sips, he handed me back the cup and I could see it was getting hard for him to keep himself sitting up. "Whoa, hold on there, handsome, I need to get you into bed." I caught him, preventing him from falling over.

"You want to get me into bed?" he asked. "Bella, I had no idea."

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Casanova, that's not what I meant," I said as I grabbed his arm again. "You need to get into bed, alone."

"Well, that's no fun," he said, slowly standing to his feet and gripping me around my shoulder.

"Yeah, well, life isn't fun sometimes," I said. "Come on, just a few more steps."

I was glad when we finally made it to the bed because I didn't think I was going to be able to support him much further; he was just so much bigger than me and I was just too small to hold him up. I quickly pulled down the charcoal sheets and helped him sit on the bed. And then he just fell over sideways and passed out. I grumbled as I grabbed his legs and tried with all my might to lift them on the bed. He was finally in bed and I covered him with the sheet. As I looked down on him, I touched his cheek again and really felt how warm he was. I gasped when his eyes flew open and he grabbed my hand.

"Bella, you're really pretty," he mumbled and then he was asleep again.

What did he just say? He was clearly delirious.

I went back to the bathroom and picked up my purse and rummaged through it until I found my phone, calling the office.

"Kate, it's Bella."

"Did you find Edward?" she asked. "Everyone is here waiting for both of you."

"Yeah, I found him and I don't think the shoot is going to happened today. I found him passed out in his bathroom. I think he might have the flu or food poisoning, but there is no way he can make it in."

"Okay, so what do you want me to tell everyone?" Kate asked.

"Just tell them we have to reschedule the shoot because Edward is ill. Also, I'm not going to come in; I'm going to stay here and make sure he's okay."

"All right, Bella. I'll do my best with damage control."

"Thanks, Kate."

I hung up the phone and made sure Edward was okay. I went back in the bathroom and opened his medicine cabinet, trying to find some medicine, but he had nothing All that was in his medicine cabinet was shaving cream, his razor, cologne, and a huge box of condoms. I grumbled under my breath and slammed the door shut. I went back over to the bed and touched his arm.

"Edward?"

"Hmm?" he muttered.

"I'm going to run to the drug store and get you some medicine; I won't be long."

"Mmmkay," he murmured.

I took one last look at him and walked out of his bedroom. I got back in my car and drove down the street to the nearest drug store.

I quickly went through the store, got what I needed, and drove back to Edward's condo. When I got back to his room, he was still sleeping. I went back out to the kitchen to get him a glass of Gatorade and then came back to wake him up.

"Edward?" I said. "You have to wake up."

"No," he mumbled in the pillow.

"Come on, you big baby, you need to take some Tylenol so your fever will go down, and I have something for your stomach too."

He opened his eyes and looked up at me.

"Bella? Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me," I answered. "Come on, drink this and take these for me, please."

"Damn, you're bossy."

"Just do it, Edward."

He took the pills from me and swallowed them down with the Gatorade.

"Good, now you can go back to sleep."

After Edward fell back to sleep, I went out to his living room and sat down on the couch. My mind went back to what he said to me earlier.

"_Bella, you're really pretty." _

He never told me that before. But, of course, it had to be when he was sick as a dog and didn't know what he was saying. He probably wouldn't even remember any of this once he started feeling better.

I felt myself getting tired so I decided to rest my eyes until his next dose of medicine. I curled up on Edward's leather couch, and before I knew it, I was out like a light.

What felt like five minutes later, I found myself being nudged out of my slumber.

"Bella."

"MmHmm?"

"Bella, wake up."

Finally, my eyes flew open to see Edward kneeling on the side of the couch next to me. I looked around the room and remembered that I was in his condo. I looked up at him and noticed he was in different clothes than I left him in earlier and his hair was wet. And, oh god, did he smell good.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"It's about five o'clock."

"Holy shit," I exclaimed as I sprang up into a shitting position. "I slept all afternoon." I looked over at him and smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," he said. "Whatever you gave me earlier helped." He got up from the floor and sat down on the couch next to me. "I don't think I have ever been that sick in my life. How did you find me?"

"Oh, I umm... I got a call from Kate on my way into work…"

"Fuck!" he shouted, cutting me off. "We had a shoot this morning."

"Don't worry about it. I took care of it; it's been rescheduled until next week."

"I've never missed a shoot," he said. He ran his fingers through his wet hair, making me squirm in my seat.

"Which is why there was no problem to reschedule. Edward, the company knows you don't fuck around with work, so really it was no problem. I've already sent the new details to your phone."

"Thank you," he said, his body relaxing. "Anyway, so Kate called you?"

"Oh, right… yeah. She called because you didn't show up to work so I drove over here and found you passed out on the bathroom floor."

"That must have been a sight."

"Well, I was scared when I first saw you because you weren't moving, but then you woke up to puke again."

"Fuck, how embarrassing that I barfed in front of you."

"It's okay," I said with a giggle.

"Hopefully I didn't say anything embarrassing."

"Well, you did try to get me into bed," I admitted.

"What? Did I?"

"Even when puking your guts up, Edward, you still have sex on the brain."

"I'm sorry," he said, hanging his head down.

"Don't worry about it, I'm just glad you're okay," I said. I touched his hand. Shocks ran through my whole body from that simple touch. I thought about telling him what else he had said to me, but I held back. "So, umm… what happened last night? You seemed fine when you left the bar."

"I was. After I left I took Kristen or Kirsten… whatever her name was, back to her house and while we were in the middle of the things, I felt myself getting sick."

"Wow, the sex was so bad with whatever her name was that it made you sick? That's something, Edward." I smiled.

"Shut up, it didn't even get that far." He smiled. "I left her house as fast as I could and had to pull over twice on the way home to puke. I'm surprised I made it home in one piece because, by that time, it just wouldn't stop. I must have eaten something bad at the bar."

Silence fell over us to the point that it stated to make me uncomfortable. I cleared my throat and stood to my feet.

"Well, since you're feeling better and back in the land of living… I should probably… go." I was about to walk away when I felt Edward grab my hand. I looked down at his hand on mine and then to his eyes.

"Do you have to go?" he asked. "I thought maybe you could stay for a while. I could order some food and maybe watch a movie?"

I swallowed hard. "I can stay," I replied, "but no scary movies."

"Deal."

Being friends with Edward was getting harder and harder as time went on. And what made it worse was that I was falling in love with him.

There, I said it. What the fuck? Now what?

* * *

**A/N: Now what indeed, Bella! So the teaser on my group page, some of you thought Edward was with someone, HAHA he was technically, the Porcelain Bowl! And so he thinks, Bella is pretty, wonder if he's as clueless as he seems. In case you haven't figured it out yet, these two are stubborn as heck, so its going to get a little hazy before it gets bubbly... so bear with me! **

**I've posted pix of Edward's house on my group page. Oh and if you're not a member, you're going to want to be for Chapter 4... I have THE best pic to post for that chapter, you won't want to miss it. Awish's Fanfiction**

**As always this chapter and every one to follow is beta'd by Chandrakanta! **

**Until next week... Please Review!**

**XOXO**


	4. It's Not You, It's Me

**The Friend Line**

**Chapter Four – It's Not You, It's Me**

* * *

A week later.

Admitting to myself that I was falling in love with Edward was harder than not acknowledging it at all.

Sometimes living in denial was a good thing; it kept you numb, keeps your feelings at bay. It allows you to go through life without having to feel anything, without having a broken heart, and it makes you lie about what you really want.

Yeah, denial is so much better.

I don't know how this happened. I mean, I knew I was always attracted to Edward, but he's always with a different girl and spreading himself around. In the past, guys like that used to disgust me; they reminded me too much of Jake.

But Edward was different.

He had a good heart and, even though he was with someone new all the time, I knew if he found the right girl he had it in him to be a one woman man. He had it in him to settle down and commit himself—mind, body, and soul—to one woman, and one woman only.

But that woman was not me.

I was his friend and that's all I was ever going to be to him, but now, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was in love with him, being just friends with him was much too hard.

I sounded pathetic, I know, no need to tell me this.

After I left his condo the night he got food poisoning, I began to distance myself. We did the rescheduled re-shoot and after we were finished, I made an excuse about having a conference call with the executives. I waited until I knew Edward had left the office before I came out of my own office.

After that, we didn't have any other photo shoots scheduled so there was no need for him to be in the office and when he called or sent a text I didn't respond.

Yes, I was avoiding.

I didn't know what else to do. I didn't think I had it in me to listen to all his dates and not feel my heart breaking. I didn't think I could handle that again. My heart was in knots and since telling him about my feelings was not an option, the only thing I could do was keep my distance.

I kept myself busy with work as much as I could. I put in extra hours so that when I went home, I was too tired to think about anything else but going to sleep. I didn't know how long I could avoid him before he hunted me down, but I'd cross that bridge when I came to it.

"Are you avoiding me or something?" Edward demanded, busting through my office door.

Guess it was time to cross that bridge.

"What?" I asked, looking up at him and then back down at the proofs that were all over my desk.

"Did I stutter?" he retorted.

I didn't look up.

"Bella!" he shouted.

"Jesus," I exlaimed, startled from his tone. I put my loop down and looked up at him again. "Can I do something for you, Edward?"

"Yes, you can tell me why you haven't been taking my calls or answering my texts," he said. "We haven't spoken since the re-shoot. What the fuck, Bella?"

I took a deep breath and let it out. He's mad that I've been avoiding him but it's not like I can tell him why.

"Look, Edward, I'm sorry I've been out of touch, but I have deadlines that I need to meet so I've just been working a lot."

That sounded good.

"I call bullshit, Bella," he spat.

"It's not bullshit, Edward," I spat back, louder. "My job, unlike yours, does not end when the camera stops flashing. I still have work to do."

Damn, I was a bitch. Yes, I know. Edward looked at me with a stunned look on his face. He pulled on his hair and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"This isn't like you to just fall off the face of the earth, work or no work. We've been friends for too long and I know when there is something up your fucking ass, so just tell me. Did I do something to piss you off?"

"No," I lied. "It's not you, it's me… I'm just in a funk I guess."

In a funk, seriously?

"It's not you, it's me? Really?" he hissed. "Fine, whatever, you don't want to tell me what's fucking up with you, that's fine." He looked so good and I could smell his cologne. I had to look away from him. "Look, I came here to tell you that I'm going back to London for a few days. Gucci set me up with a meeting in the London office, and while I was there, I thought I'd spend some time with my family."

I didn't want him to go and I knew I'd miss him, but not seeing him might help me get over him. A girl could hope.

"Okay, well, that sounds nice. I know how much you miss home," I acknowledged, looking back up at him and then again lowering my head. I felt tears prickling the sides of my eyes. "Why don't you um... call me when you get back to LA?"

"Yeah, sure," he said and then he turned to walk out of my office without another word.

I tossed my loop on my desk and lost my fight with holding my tears back. I hated lying to Edward, but he could never know about my true feelings for him. He could never know how much I loved him.

(*)

The next day I got a call from my best friend Tia. We had met in high school soon after I moved to Forks. We ended up going to college together and were roommates all through school. Tia was the one person who was always there for me no matter what, even though we now lived in different states. She had called to tell me that her boyfriend Ben had a business trip in LA and she was going to come along so she could visit me. I was excited to see Tia and the timing could not be more perfect.

Two days later I was hugging my best friend at LAX and I could not be happier.

"I missed you so much," I admitted, hugging her tightly.

"I missed you too," she agreed.

I was so excited to see Tia that I forgot Ben was there. I laughed as I let go of Tia and finally acknowledged him.

"Hey, Ben, nice to see you again," I said, hugging him. "Thanks for bringing my girl to see me."

"It's nice to see you again too, Bella," he replied. "Are you sure about us staying at your house? My company can set us up in a hotel."

"Hell no," I squawked. "No way, I have plenty of room and it will give Tia and I chance to hang out while you're at your meetings."

"Okay, just making sure."

Tia and Ben met in our junior year of college. She was an Education major and he was a Business major. It was an instant connection for them as soon as they saw each other.

After we graduated, they decided to stay in Seattle where Tia got a job teaching third grade and Ben got a job at a marketing firm. They bought a condo in Bellevue, and I'm sure the ring was coming soon.

I don't get to see Tia as often as I'd like with us living in different states but we try to talk on the phone as much as we can. It's been far too long since we last saw each other. I missed her so much.

(*)

Later that night, Tia and I were at my house hanging out as Ben had to go to a company dinner. We ordered some Chinese food and settled in on the couch in our pj's for some much needed girl talk.

"I"m so glad you're here," I said. "I've missed you so much, T."

"I've missed you too, but you've made quite a life for yourself here. This house is amazing and your job… I'm so proud of you, Bella."

"Oh, speaking of my job…" I smiled and then got up from the couch. I retrieved two shopping bags I had sitting in the corner of the living room. I handed over the bag to Tia. "For you, my friend."

Tia looked at me and then at the Gucci shopping bags. A huge smile came across her face as she took the bags from me. I laughed watching her tear into the first one.

"Oh my god," she shrieked. She pulled out a pair of classic black Gucci patten leather pumps. "Oh my god!"

"Do you like them?" I asked.

"I love them! Oh my god, Bella, these are beautiful."

"There's more," I said, pointing to the second bag. She placed the shoes next to her and opened the second bag, pulling out a Gucci tote bag. "I thought that would be good to use for school."

"Bella... I have no words." I could see tears welling in her eyes.

"Gotta love the perks of working for a high end designer; discounts are insane," I acknowledged.

"I love your job!" she exclaimed, lunging for me from across the couch and hugging me. "And I l love you too!"

"Oh, and I didn't want to leave Ben out." I handed Tia a small box. She opened it and smiled. Inside was a Gucci black and purple striped tie with matching cuff links. "I thought he would like those."

"I'm sure he will," she agreed with a smile. "Ben is obsessed with ties. I think he buys like 10 a month; he needs a separate closet for all of them. He'll love this, Bella."

After the excitement of Tia's gifts wore off, we settled into our bottle of wine and the questions started.

"So, Bella, how's Edward? You haven't even mentioned him," Tia asked.

I sipped my wine and then cleared my throat. "He's fine; he's actually in London for a few days."

"Oh, that sucks, I thought we could all go out while we're here."

"Sorry," I apologized, "but it's fine he's not here."

"Oookay," she said. "What's going on with you two? You're still friends, right?"

"Friends? Oh, yeah, we're still friends." I drank the last sip of wine in my glass and then poured another.

"Bella, what's going on? Come on, I'm your best girl friend, I've known you since we were seventeen; I can tell when something is up."

"It's just a mess," I said, fighting back my tears. "I think I have feelings for him."

"Well fuck, Bella, I figured it was only a matter of time before you fell for him."

"What?" I spat. "You never said that to me!"

"Oh come on, Bella. It's just obvious."

"How it is obvious?"

"In the times I have seen you together I could see the attraction between the two of you."

"Well, as it seems, the attraction is one sided. Trust me; Edward spends his time fucking anything with big boobs and long legs."

"You have long legs," Tia pointed out.

"Not the point," I said, pursing my lips together. I let out a deep sigh. "Tia, he doesn't want me. I'm just his friend and I think he likes it that way. I'm the idiot who wants more, not him. He's content with the way things are."

"So you say, but you never know until you tell him how you feel."

"That's not going to happen," I insisted, standing to my feet and gathering the empty Chinese food containers. I then walked into the kitchen with Tia on my heels.

"So you're never going to tell him how you feel?" she asked.

"No, I'm not," I answered, dumping the trash.

"But why?"

"Because why do I want to set myself up for rejection? Believe me, it's just best that he never knows. For me, it's better."

"So you're just to continue being friends with him like nothing else matters?" she questioned. "I'm sorry, Bella, but that just seems like torture."

"Well, it's the way it has to be," I answered with a huff.

"Okay, if you say so, Bella," she acknowledged. "I just want you to be happy. When you broke up with Jake I know it took a lot of you. It crushed your view on trust and love, I get that, but I don't want you to shut love out forever because of one douche-bag. Please don't let Jake continue to have this control over your life. You deserve to be happy."

"I am happy," I argued, "I have a great job, a nice house, the best of friends… I am happy." Jeez, even I didn't believe myself. How do I expect Tia to, or anyone else for that matter?

"Okay," she said, looking at me with an I'm-not-buying-this-bullshit-from-you-one-bit look on her face.

"Let's change the subject," I suggested, or more like begged. "Tell me about you and Ben. When is that ring coming?"

We spent the next couple hours talking about how wonderful Ben is and how much she loves him. I was happy for them both and, from the sound if it, the ring was definitely coming soon.

Ben had come back to the house after his dinner meeting and I left them in the kitchen as I went up to bed. Once I was in bed, I thought about what Tia had said about things between Edward and I being obvious. How come everyone else saw it but the one person who I needed to see it the most has his head so deep in his ass?

But I meant it when I said Edward can never know how I felt. I have to just move on and forget about my feelings for him. There was no other choice.

(*)

The next morning, Ben and I were sitting outside of the local Coffee Bean enjoying a danish and coffee while Tia was getting a newspaper at one of the magazine stands.

"Bella, I loved the tie and cuff links, thank you," Ben offered.

"You're welcome." I smiled. "I love being able to share the perks of my job with my friends."

"Oh my god, Bella!" Tia shouted, tossing a copy of the latest issue of Vanity Fair in front of me.

And there on the cover was Edward. It was from a shoot we did a a few months back. Edward was in black pants, a rumpled white button-down shirt with his sleeves pushed up to his elbows and a black skinny tie. And his hair, dear god, it was a magnificent mess.

"Did you shoot that cover?" Ben asked, reaching for the magazine to get a better look .

"Yeah, it was a few months ago," I acknowledged. "I wasn't sure which print Vanity Fair was going to use, but they did good; the cover turned out good."

"Good? Bella, this is amazing." Tia grinned, snatching the magazine back from Ben. "Edward looks really hot. I mean, look at his hair—I just want to pull it—and his body... jeez, he's fucking..."

"Damn, T, don't stop now," Ben said, nudging his girl.

"I'm sorry, baby, but he_ is_ hot." She kissed Ben and then looked back at me. "Have you read the interview?"

"No," I said, "I will later."

"Well, I bought two copies, so you can have this one," Tia offered. Ben just shook his head,

"Enough about Edward; we only have an hour before you have to go to the airport."

Tia dropped the subject and then I tucked the magazine in my bag. That last hour went by faster than we would have liked. Before we knew it, I was dropping Ben and Tia back at LAX.

"Call me when you get home," I said, hugging her.

"I will," she promised, hugging me back.

"Thanks again for everything, Bella," Ben said.

"You're welcome," I replied. "Take care of my girl."

After another few hugs we said our goodbyes and they were gone. I went back home and sat down on my sofa with the magazine in my lap.

I looked down at Edward's picture and then took a deep breath before I turned to the interview. It was written by Tanya Denali. I was familiar with her; she was known as being very blunt with her interviews and spreading herself around to get big interviews. That thought made me cringe.

I_t's late afternoon on a Thursday in August in Los Angles and I am waiting for my lunch companion in the hotel bar in the Four Seasons. I watch as patrons are focused on the main door of the bar. There stands a tall figure in jeans, a white t-shirt, baseball cap, and Converse. He truly is a sight, green eyes, perfectly chiseled jaw-ine, lean body, and a mess of copper hair on his head. The whole room is looking at him and then he eyes me. I can't help but smile. _

"I'm sorry I'm late," he says in his English accent, "mad traffic on the 101."

_My companion for the next couple hours is none other than Edward Cullen. In case you don't know who he is, you will soon enough. Edward Cullen is Gucci's IT Man. Originally from London where he was born and raised in a modest blue-collar neighborhood, he started modeling while in college. _

_His first job: a print ad for The Gap. _

"I remember that," he reminisces, "I had no clue what I was doing, but it was the first time I earned money for modeling clothes."

_He continued to do small print ads and then, two years later, he got the call of a lifetime. Edward was signed as a suit model with Gucci and a six-figure contract to boot. After working with Gucci in London for a year, the fashion house relocated him to Los Angeles. Gucci suits are his signature ads and his face has been seen on billboards and in magazines all over the world. At only 28, it's clear Edward Cullen will be in the modeling industry for a long time to come. It's time for me to learn a little more about the man who sits across from me. So far, I know his beer of choice is Heineken, he's an only child, and running his fingers through his tousled hair seems to be his thing. _

_**So, Edward, you've busted out on the scene as Gucci's top male model. How have you been handling your success?**_

"As best I can. I'm a private person, so sometimes it's hard to allow people into my private life, but I'm loosening up. Doing interviews was never my thing, but it comes with the territory, so I'm adjusting to it, I think."

_**You're known for modeling suits. Do you have any desire to model for anything else, perhaps Gucci's men's underwear line?**_

"I'm not sure. I mean, I love wearing the suits. There's nothing better than putting on a suit that's literally been made for you. When a suit fits a man perfectly, that's a pretty damn good suit. But, I don't know about doing other things; we'll see."

_**You've been seen with quite a few women on your arm in the past few months. Anyone special in your life to settle down with?**_

"I'm just enjoying life right now. I'm sure if I met the right woman, I'd settle down, but in the meantime, I'm having fun."

_**Do you miss London?**_

"I do, yes. My family is still there, it's home. But I'm really starting to love LA. I've met some amazing people out here. I suppose I'll always miss London, it's a big part of me. I miss the smell of London."

_**Who is the most important person in your life?**_

"Wow, um, well, my parents will always be up there, but right now the one person in my life who I couldn't imagine my life without would be my photographer, Bella. She's so much more than that; she's my best friend. She gets me, you know? Like no one else does. She listens to me and I enjoy spending time with her. She was one of the first people I met when I came to the States and we've been best friends ever since. She's just important to me and she takes pretty amazing pictures."

_**Sounds like you found a good friend there.**_

"She's the best."

_**You seem like you keep yourself pretty fit. What do you do to stay in shape?**_

"I go to the gym as much as I can and I..."

I closed the magazine, once again looking at his picture. I was such an ass. Edward's words ran over and over in my mind. He was my friend—a good friend—and I was letting my feelings get in the way of that. I had to let go of those feelings, because being friends with Edward was better than not having him in my life at all.

* * *

**A/N: If you haven't seen it, Edward's Vanity Fair magazine cover has been posted in my FB Group Awish's Fanfiction. Its so amazing and looks so real! I also posted pix of Ben and Tia's gifts from Bella. **

**Thanks to Chandrakanta for the Beta assist and the creation of the magazine cover. **

**So next chapter, Edward comes back from London... stay tuned. Until Next Week!**

**Please Review!**

**XOXO**


	5. For The First Time

**The Friend Line**

**Chapter Five – For the First Time**

* * *

It's been ten days since Edward left for London. We hadn't spoken at all and, truth be told, I missed him. This had been the longest we had gone without talking in our entire friendship.

I told him the truth when I told him it wasn't him, that it was me; it was so me. I was the one who let my feelings get in the way of our friendship, unbeknownst to Edward. He had no idea how I felt, how I have been feeling, and none of this was his fault. But I was a coward. There was no way I could compete with all the other women in his life. I clearly was not his type.

I pulled out my hot pocket from the microwave when I heard my cell phone chirp with a text message. I picked it up and my heart sank.

**Hey, I just got back to town. Can we talk? -E**

I looked at the message for a long minute, I didn't know what to say or do. I thought back to how I was missing him. I didn't want things to be weird, even though they were.

My thoughts went back to the interview in Vanity Fair. I remembered what Edward had said about me. I had a choice: I could either ignore him and throw away three years of friendship or I could suck up my feelings and talk to my friend. I chose the latter.

**I'd like that, want to meet for a drink? -B**

**Sure, Ye Rustic Inn? In an hour? - E**

**See you then. - B**

I tossed my phone and ran up stairs to quickly shower and change. I knew I was setting myself up for a night of angst and longing. So, if I had to endure it, I was definitely going to put on my sexiest outfit.

When I was about ready to leave to meet Edward, I checked myself one last time in the mirror. I had put on my new Capri jeans that were so tight they looked like a second skin and a black v-neck top. On my feet I had on a pair of black Gucci peep-toed pumps. The whole outfit was a vast difference from my usual attire. I usually dressed in loose jeans with big t-shirts that I usually had to knot at the waist and sneakers, but this evening called for some style over comfort. I left my hair down and added modest eye makeup and then some lip gloss.

Ye Rustic Inn was only a few blocks from my house, so I decided to take a cab rather than drive. When the cab pulled up to the bar, I saw Edward standing outside the door. Fuck, he looked good. He was in dark blue jeans and a black v-neck sweater with a white t-shirt peeking out from the bottom of his sweater that had the sleeves rolled to his elbows. His hair was all messed up as usual. I took a deep breath and then I got out of the cab and walked over to him.

Jesus, he looked delicious.

"Hi," I said shyly.

"Hey," he replied, clearing his throat. "You... uh... you look nice."

"Thank you," I answered. "Shall we go in?"

Edward followed me inside the bar and we were seated at a private table in the back. The back room was a piano bar off the main restaurant with live music. I slipped my jacket off and hung it on the chair. When I turned back, Edward was looking at me weird, but I let it go. We ordered drinks, white wine for me and a Heineken for him.

"You really do look nice tonight... even kind of hot, Bella," he acknowledged. "Who knew you could clean up so nice."

"Shut up," I complained, and then I tossed a napkin at him.

"I'm just saying, you're usually all covered up in an oversized t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. And those jeans you're wearing now are insanely sexy."

I blushed from his comments. God, his accent turned me on. "Well, I felt a little adventurous tonight."

A silence fell upon us. I sipped my wine and when I looked back at him he was looking right at me.

"Look, Bella," he started and then ran his hands through his hair. "I feel really bad about how things were left between us before I left for London. I wanted to call when I was gone, but I wasn't sure if you'd talk to me. I just wish I knew what I did to make you mad."

I swallowed hard. "Edward, I'm sorry, really." I sighed. "I was a bitch for no reason. You didn't do anything wrong, it really was all me. I'm sorry I made you feel like you did something; you didn't... really."

"We never fight, Bella. I didn't like it. You're the one constant in my life, probably the one person I can count on and I didn't like not talking to you."

"I know; me, too. I'm really sorry, Edward." I took a deep breath; this was really the best thing. I had to tuck my feelings away.

"Are we good then?" he asked.

"Yeah, we're good." I smiled and sipped my wine again. "So, how was London?"

"It was good, always nice seeing my family," he said. "I miss them sometimes."

"I know the feeling; I miss my dad," I admitted. "I should really plan a trip to Forks soon to see him. It's been a while since I've been home." I took a sip of my drink and then I remembered the magazine. "Oh, I saw the Vanity Fair cover, it came out really nice."

"Well, you took the picture," he said with a smile. "Did you, um... read the interview?"

"I did, yes," I responded. "Thanks for saying what you did, it meant a lot."

"I meant it, Bella," he replied. "You're very important to me."

We finished our drinks and ordered another round. We spent some time talking about work and our families, mostly laughing. It was nice to spend some time with him.

I looked down at my drink and when I looked back up, he was staring at me like he was when I first took my coat off. Now I couldn't ignore it.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing." He cleared his throat and then took a swig of his beer. The pianist sat down at the piano and started playing a ballad. "Would you like to dance?"

"You're serious?"

"Oh, why not?" he said and then stood up from his chair, extending his hand to me.

I hesitated for a minute and then placed my small hand in his. My hand seemed to fit perfectly as he pulled me up and guided me over to the dance floor. Once there he took both my hands and placed them around his neck as he placed his own hands around my back. The space was closed between us as our bodies met. I could smell him and it made me weak in the knees. I have smelled him before, but being so close to his body, in his arms, made him smell even more intoxicating. I was glad I was leaning into him for support because it was getting hard to stand up on my own. I closed my eyes as we swayed to the music, taking him all in.

_Are those your eyes, is that your smile  
I've been looking at you forever  
But I never saw you before  
Are these your hands holdin' mine  
Now I wonder how I could have been so blind_

For the first time I am looking in your eyes  
For the first time I'm seein' who you are  
I can't believe how much I see  
When you're lookin' back at me  
Now I understand why love is...  
Love is... for the first time...

I leaned my head on his shoulder and felt him tighten his grip on me. I held him close, taking him all in as we swayed to the music. I felt his hand run down the length of my back, giving me chills. I felt his breath on the side of my neck as he buried his face in my hair. The physical contact was getting to be more than I could handle; I tried to keep it together as I savored every minute of being in Edward's arms. His hand rested on my hip then ran up my back again, but this time, his fingers lightly touched the bare skin of my lower neck and traced small circles on my skin. My breath hitched in my throat from the contact as he continued to touch me.

_Can this be real, can this be true  
Am I the person I was this morning  
And are you the same you  
It's all so strange how can it be  
All along this love was right in front of me_

For the first time I am looking in your eyes  
For the first time I'm seein' who you are  
I can't believe how much I see  
When you're lookin' back at me  
Now I understand what love is...  
Love is... for the first time...

_Such a long time ago  
I had given up on findin' this emotion ever again  
But you're here with me now  
Yes I've found you some how  
And I've never been so sure_

_For the first time I am looking in your eyes  
For the first time I'm seein' who you are  
I can't believe how much I see  
When you're lookin' back at me  
Now I understand what love is...  
Love is... for the first time…_

Once the song ended, I pulled back from him and looked into his eyes. He held my gaze for a long minute and, for a moment in time, I thought he was going to lean in to kiss me, but that was just wishful thinking on my part. Instead, he cleared his throat and broke his gaze.

"Everything okay?" I asked.

"Uh… yeah, sure," he said and then he released my body. I felt empty from the loss of contact, but I quickly regained my composure. "Are you ready to go?"

I was disappointed that he wanted to leave, but figured he wanted to be somewhere else. I nodded and turned to go back to our table, grabbing my coat and purse. He then walked behind me as we left the bar. Once outside, I opened my mouth to say something, but changed my mind and went with the standard goodbye.

"So, I guess I'll see you at work?" I said, managing some words.

"It's a nice night," he observed, "can I walk you home?"

I was surprised he wanted to walk me home; it made me smile. I nodded yes to him and we started to walk down the street, mostly in silence.

As if someone was playing an evil trick on us, the sky opened up and began to pour. It hardly ever rained in LA, so the one night while trying to enjoy the walk home, the sky decided to open up. And boy did it open up in full force.

Just great.

"Fuck!" he shouted as the rain drenched us. "This is fucking LA, it's not supposed to rain."

All I could do was laugh as he took my hand and started to pull me as he ran.

"Edward! Stop, I'm in heels!" I shouted. He stopped in his tracks and turned to look at me. "Besides you're from London, you should be used to this kind of this weather."

He started laughing because there was nothing left to do. We were a block away from my house and when we got there, we were completely soaked.

"Do you want to come in a dry off?" I asked.

"Yeah, sure."

I unlocked the front door and we both entered the house. Once inside I went straight to laundry room to get a couple of towels from the dryer. When I got back to him he was still standing in the doorway taking his shoes off. I walked back to him and handed him a towel.

"Thanks."

"Yeah, no problem." I took another towel and attempted to dry my hair. By this time his shoes and socks were off. I looked at him and then walked into the living room, kicking off my boots. When I turned back around to face him, my jaw hit the ground. He was lifting his sweater over his head.

"Whoa, what are you doing?" I asked, stunned.

"What does it look like? My sweater is soaked through. You don't want me to catch cold, do you?"

Before I could respond, he had his sweater and white t-shirt over his head and off. I had, of course, seen Edward shirtless, but wet and shirtless was another story. His upper body was so beautiful, his skin taut; his abs and his narrow hips were defined. He had a little bit of hair on his upper chest…

Gah!

My mouth was dry and I felt all kinds of things going on between my legs. Fuck, he was hot and I wanted nothing more then to –

"See something you like?"

His words snapped me out of trance. "Uh… I'm going to go upstairs and change. I'll find you a t-shirt."

Before he could say anything in response, I was up the stairs and in my bedroom with the door closed. I leaned against the door and sighed.

Oh. My. Fucking. God

I was freaking the fuck out. I didn't want to go back downstairs because I knew he was shirtless—wet and shirtless—and I wasn't sure if I could handle it. But I knew if I didn't go back down, he would come up here looking for me. I quickly changed into a pair of black cotton shorts and a purple tank top with fresh underwear, leaving my hair wet. I went to my dresser drawer and pulled out a t-shirt my dad had left when he visited last, so I knew it would fit Edward.

I exhaled and walked down the stairs. When I got to the living room, he was standing in front of my bookshelf, looking at my books and CDs with his back to me. Fuck, even his back was perfectly sculpted and toned. At this point it made me really glad he was not an underwear model because I would have never been able to work with him and remain professional.

I cleared my throat to get his attention and he turned around to face me. I inhaled my breath and tried not to look at him. My cheeks were hot and I'm sure he noticed. When I got closer, I held out the t-shirt to him at a full arms' length.

"This is my dad's, so it should fit."

I was holding the t-shirt but he wasn't moving. Our eyes locked and then he grabbed my wrist. The contact of his hand made me jump as he looked in my eyes. I felt like he was burning holes right through me.

He yanked the t-shirt from my hand and tossed it on the floor. Before I had a chance to react, he grabbed my wrist again and pulled me to him. My chest was against his naked flesh; he had his one hand on my hip and the other on my cheek.

"Bella," he said.

And then… he kissed me. His lips were on mine. He was sucking on my bottom lip and his tongue was beckoning entrance to my mouth. I felt like the floor was going to fall out from under me and I did the only thing I could.

I kissed him back.

Holy shit.

I opened my mouth to him and our tongues met for the first time. His hand was knotted in my hair as my hands rested on his biceps. He moaned into my mouth, making me moan as our kiss deepened. I had always thought about kissing Edward, but the reality of it put my thoughts to a pitiful shame. The only sound in the room was the sound of our kiss as our mouths and tongues played together over and over.

We finally had to pull back to catch our breaths, but we still held on to each other as we each panted from the kiss we shared. I knew if I let go at that moment, my ass would hit the ground. I had zero balance.

Just then all other thoughts invaded my head: all the girls he's been with and him never giving me any kind of the slightest indication that he wanted more from me other than friendship. I pulled away from him and took a step back.

"Why did you do that?" I asked him.

"I thought…. you… I… fuck, I don't know," he stuttered. He ran his fingers though his wet hair. "I thought you wanted me to." He walked back towards me.

"Edward… we're friends," I said, not sure what else to say.

"I know that… but, Bella… you kissed me back."

"I know I did, I was there."

"Well, that was a fucking hot kiss. Are you saying you didn't want to kiss me?"

"I don't know what to say." I turned around and walked away from him, but he was quickly behind me. His body was so close, I could feel the warmth coming off his damp skin.

"I think you wanted to," he whispered in my ear and moved my hair from my shoulder, exposing my neck to him. I could feel his hot breath on my neck as he gripped my shoulders and forced me turn back around to face him. "In fact, I think you have wanted to kiss me since we danced," he said with a growl in his voice.

Longer than that, my friend.

I didn't know what to say; he was so close again, and I had to look away from him. He gently raised my chin with his fingers, making me look back at him.

"Tell me I'm wrong, Bella. Tell me you haven't wanted to kiss me as much as I wanted to kiss you just now."

"Edward..."

"Tell me," he said in a whisper.

"I haven't thought about it..."

"Liar."

"Edward, I… I can't do this." I broke free from him and ran back up the stairs. I didn't know what else to do and it was like my legs had a mind of their own as I ran away from him.

* * *

**Well damn! Bella just ran away and left you all hanging... sorry, not sorry, lol. Wonder what's going to happen next... **

**Thanks as always to Chandrakanta for the beta work on this chapter and every other one, past and future.**

**I posted the song used in this chapter, as well as pix of Ye Rustic Inn and E&B's outfits on my FB page, Awish's Fanfiction. If you're not a member, what are you waiting for?**

**Until next time... Reviews make me so so happy!**

**XOXO**


	6. A Line Crossed

**The Friend Line**

**Chapter Six – A Line Crossed**

* * *

I was standing in my dark bedroom near the window, watching the rain pour down as I tried to catch my breath. My breathing was labored, my chest was on fire, and my lips were still tingling from Edward's kiss.

Edward's kiss.

My heart was pounding in my chest. He was right; I have been wanting to kiss for him so long, but now that it happened, I was scared to death. So I did the only thing I could think of, I ran.

I was so scared. I had no idea why he kissed me. Did he feel what I felt? I thought about Jake and how I didn't want to feel that feeling of rejection ever again, especially not from Edward. I didn't think I'd survive that again, especially from him. Edward meant so much to me and that was the main reason I kept my feelings at bay. For the most part, I enjoyed his friendship and I loved working with him; he was someone I always wanted in my life. I was so afraid to tell him how I felt; I didn't want to get hurt again, I didn't want to feel that loss, and with Edward that loss would be inconceivable to me.

But now he had kissed me and I never had a kiss like that in my life. He was demanding yet passionate, his touch lit my whole body on fire, and his taste was so sweet, and kissing him in reality put my pitiful imagination to shame. My head was spinning, I didn't know what to do. I didn't know if I should go back downstairs and talk to Edward like two adults or if I should…

My bedroom door opened, stopping my inner debate. I didn't say a word and I kept my back to the door. I knew he was close, but I stayed still.

"Bella?"

I couldn't speak. I kept my body still, but then I felt him behind me. He wasn't touching me, but I could feel him.

"Bella, why did you run away from me?" he asked. "Please look at me."

"Edward, please," I begged.

"Bella, talk to me—please."

I took a deep breath and turned around. His body was illuminated from the moonlight and he still did not have his shirt on. Was he trying to kill me?

"I ran because… you're my friend—we're just friends—and… I'm not what you want, Edward. I'm not one of those girls."

"Oh trust me, Bella, I know you're not one of them. And, as far as you not being what I want… how do you know what I want?"

He stepped closer.

"Because I know you, Edward. I know all you want is _fun_, a different girl in your bed every night, no strings, no commitment—just fun. I have listened to you talk about this for so long now; I know I'm not what you want because I'm not like that. I'm not someone you want in your bed. I'm just me."

He took another step closer and placed his cool hand on my cheek. "What do you want, Bella? Tell me."

"Edward, please…" I begged as a single tear ran down my cheek onto his hand. "Please."

"Please what?"

"Please don't make me do this," I said in a small voice. "It's just too hard..."

His face was now close to mine and I felt him kiss my neck ever so softly as he closed in the space again between us.

"Bella, tell me what you want. I just might want the same thing." He continued to kiss my neck as his hand knotted in my hair again and he moaned in my ear. I was starting to feel dizzy again. "Tell me."

"I… I want—you."

As soon as the words left my mouth, Edward's lips were back on mine in a greedy kiss. My mouth instantly opened to his as I moaned into his mouth. His hands gripped my hips and pulled me against his body. I could feel the entire length of his body against mine. Then I felt his erection, long and hard against me, making me moan.

"Feel that?" he asked, breaking our kiss. He pressed more firmly into me. I could feel every hard inch of him. "That's how much I want you, Bella. You made me this way; you, Bella... made me this hard."

He leaned in to kiss me again, making me moan from his words, but I pulled back. "We can't do this, Edward," I said breathlessly.

"Why not? I want you, you want me, why can't we do this?" He dipped his head down to nuzzle my neck. "I want you so much, Bella. Only you."

"It could ruin our friendship," I said, trying really hard to think of reasons why this was such a bad idea. "Sex and friendship don't mix, Edward," I breathed.

"It won't," he said in protest. His hands were gripping my hips, pulling me closer to him.

"What about tomorrow? If we do this, what will it mean?" I asked.

"Bella… all I know is that I want you, only you... right here and right now in your bed." He looked at me with his emerald eyes. "I want to kiss you again and I need to be inside you, Bella… please let me."

That was it; that was all it took.

Fuck it.

I was weak and I knew I could no longer resist. All this time of wanting him. All this time of wanting his touch, of wanting so much more. And now he was here, here with me in my bedroom, and he was kissing me, he was touching me, and he wanted me.

I wanted him…

…badly.

I knew this was a bad-fucking idea, but at that moment I didn't care. I wanted him and hearing him tell me he wanted me too was all I needed to give in. Even if it meant something different to me than it did to him, I didn't give a fuck right then. I'd worry about that in the morning.

_You've been the first in my life  
Who has ever made me feel this way  
And I will not deny  
I'm gonna need you right here  
By my side_

_Baby, I can't wait_  
_(come and hold my hand and let me lead the way)_  
_Let me take your breath away_  
_(by holdin' and kissin' and lovin' and touchin' you)_  
_Never will be too late_  
_(see myself through your eyes)_  
_Baby, I can't wait_  
_(until the day I hear you say)_

I nodded to Edward and in the next second his mouth was all over me, along with his hands. He put his hands on my hips and dropped to his knees. I looked down at him and he took the hem of my tank top in his hands and slowly lifted it. I assisted him with pulling it over my head. His eyes widened as he got a look at my plum colored lace bra. He licked his lips and then placed them on my stomach, kissing my bare skin. Ever so slowly, he grabbed the waistband of my shorts and eased them down, running his hands down my legs in the process. When my shorts were down at my ankles, I stepped out of them and then his hands were now going up my legs. When he reached my hips again, he stood to his feet and kissed me. His mouth was hard on mine, his tongue taking no prisoners in my mouth, his hands running wild down my back.

My hands were both in his hair, pulling on it slightly. When I heard him moan from my actions, it turned me on even more; I felt like I was dripping. My hands then went to his bare chest, feeling his warm skin. I ran my hands down to his stomach and finally to the waistband of his jeans. I kept them there for a long minute and then decided to be bold. I took his belt in my hands and fumbled with the buckle. When it was undone, I unbuttoned the top button of his jeans and then lowered the zipper… slowly. My shaky hands went to the inside of his jeans and started pulling them off his hips, all the while not breaking our kiss. Edward assisted me with lowering his pants down his legs. He broke our kiss only to rid himself completely of his jeans.

_You are mine  
There's no other one for me  
Keep in mind  
You make my life complete  
And tonight  
We'll make love endlessly  
Cause you're mine  
You're the one that I'll keep  
For all time_

He wrapped his arms back around me and his hands gripped my ass, lifting me up so my legs wrapped around his waist. As he held me, my lips were on his and my hands were back in his hair. He walked us over to my bed and, as he put one knee up on the bed, he lowered me down on my cool sheets and quickly crawled up on top of me. I moaned when I felt his weight on me and I was able to really get a feel for his hardness as it poked through his boxer briefs.

His mouth claimed mine again as his hands cupped my breasts over my bra for the first time. His hand was so hot; it felt like an iron on my skin. I wanted to feel more. I needed to feel more. Ever so slowly, he reached up and eased one of my bra straps down off my shoulders and then his mouth was on me, leaving soft kisses on my skin. I felt like I was going to explode right then and there from his slow torture. I guess he felt my impatience because, the next thing I knew, his hand snaked behind my back and unclasped my bra. He pulled the lace garment from my body and tossed it on the floor. I suddenly felt very self-conscious when he was looking at me. I turned my head to the side as I felt my cheeks flush.

"Hey," he said and then touched my face, causing me to look back at him. I did slowly. "Don't look away from me." His emerald eyes smoldered as he looked down at me. "You're beautiful, Bella. And I am going to show you how much I mean that."

All I could do was smile at him slightly. I was speechless. I was so lost in his words that I actually believed him without any doubts. His one hand returned to my breast as he palmed it. As he kneaded my flesh with one hand, he took my opposite nipple in his mouth. The sensation ripped through me as he continued to suck on my pert pink bud. I whimpered from the contact. He then switched to my other nipple, giving it equal attention as his hand slid down my side to my hip, and then to my thigh. He hitched my leg over his hip and ground into me. He was hard as a rock and I got him that way. I never thought I could have that effect on him; well fuck if I was wrong.

_Now that you're here, boy  
I'm never gonna let you go  
Can I touch you there, oh  
Do you mind if we kiss real slow  
You're my everything  
You're my hopes and dreams  
Baby, you know it ain't no lie  
I'm gonna be with you 'til the day I die_

_Baby, I can't wait_  
_(come and hold my hand and let me lead the way)_  
_Let me take your breath away_  
_(holdin' and kissin' and lovin' and touchin' you)_  
_Never will be too late_  
_(see myself through your eyes)_  
_Baby, I can't wait_  
_(no no, 'til the day I hear you say)_

His mouth left my breast and, just when I was about to protest, I felt his lips continue down my stomach until he got to my panties. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest when I looked down and saw his head going between my legs.

"Edward…"

"Shh… just relax," he said.

Relax? Was he fucking kidding?

I mean I usually keep myself well groomed in that area, but it had been a long time since someone…. Oh god.

I felt his tongue dart out of his mouth and graze my sensitive skin over the lace of panties. Then he grabbed the small straps that rested on my hips and slowly eased them down my legs, exposing all of me to him.

Now I lay completely naked in front of a guy I never thought would ever see me naked—a guy I thought would not _want_ to see me naked—and yet, here I am. All my womanly goods were spread out for him on display and his tongue was about to...

Oh. Fuck. Me.

He nudged my thighs apart with his hand so he could have better access. I knew I was stiff, but I allowed my legs to part for him. He returned his face to my thighs and left feather light kisses in a trail until he once again reached my center. His hands ran up and down the outside of my thighs.

Then, I cried out when I felt his fingers opening my folds. I heard him groan when he felt how wet I was for him. His face then dipped down and his nose grazed my skin.

"Fuck, Bella, you smell so good. I'm sure you taste even better," he said as he put one of his long fingers inside me. "Can I taste you?"

"Fuck… yes," was all I could say.

I saw him smirk when I looked down at him and when I felt his tongue slowly lick in between my folds I slammed my head back on the pillow.

"Mm… I was right," he said as he continued to lick me up and down.

He then took my swollen clit in his mouth and sucked on it as he put two fingers inside me, moving them in and out.

"Oh god," I groaned.

He continued his raid on my body until my legs started to jerk. He increased his pace with his tongue and his fingers. There was no stopping me now, I was coming completely undone. I screamed out as my orgasm neared. My whole body convulsed as he slowed his motions. I was panting and completely out of breath when he crawled up my body and lightly kissed my neck. I pulled him closer to me, wrapped my legs around him and kissed him hard on his mouth. I could taste myself on his lips and it made me moan out. His tongue filled my mouth as my hands yanked his hair.

_You're the one that lights my fire  
You're the one that keeps me strong  
You're the one that I depend on  
When my world is goin' wrong  
You're the one that I hold closer  
You're the man I'm dreaming of  
And I really really love you  
I just want you to know that_

_Baby, I can't wait  
(come and hold my hand and let me lead the way)  
Let me take your breath away  
(holdin' and kissin' and lovin' and touchin' you)  
Never will be too late  
(see myself through your eyes)  
Baby, I can't wait  
(no no, 'til the day I hear you say)_

I wanted him more then I ever thought I could. My hands traveled down his sides to his hips where they were met with the waistband of his boxer briefs. I pushed them down his hips as far as I could reach and then, without hesitation, I took his hardened length in my small hands.

"Jesus! Fuck!" he shouted from my contact. His accent was even sexier when he was turned on. His moan was sexy as hell.

I took his moans as a good thing as I continued to stroke him up and down. Damn, he was big and so thick. I mean I figured he would be well equipped in that department, but… wow. He was definitely gifted.

As I stroked him, he shrugged off his boxer briefs so he was now completely naked along with me. Finally, there were no barriers between us, just skin on skin.

As my hands continued their task, I felt his hand over mine, stilling it.

"Bella… stop. As good as that fucking feels, if you continue doing it, this is going to be over before it even begins."

I smiled up at him and then released him. He returned his mouth to mine and then broke the kiss. He then moved off me and I was about to question him when I saw him reach for his pants and then for his wallet. He pulled out a condom and then tossed his pants and wallet back on the floor.

"You were expecting this?" I asked.

"No, but I'm always prepared, Bella."

That statement gave me a sour feeling in my stomach but I did everything I could to push that feeling away. I didn't want to think of him being prepared to have sex with any other girl but me in that moment.

I watched him as he tore open the foil and rolled the condom down his impressive length. He then turned back around and was once again on top of me.

"You can change your mind," he offered. "I mean if you don't want to."

"No, I want to," I said. "I _have_ wanted to."

_Baby, I can't wait  
(come and hold my hand and let me lead the way)  
Let me take your breath away  
(holdin' and kissin' and lovin' and touchin' you)  
Never will be too late  
(see myself through your eyes)  
Baby, I can't wait  
(no no, 'til the day I hear you say)_

_I can't wait 'til the day  
I hear you say  
You're the one that I need  
You're the one that I'll keep  
For all time _

He smiled down at me and kissed my mouth hard. I opened my legs more to give him better access as he reached down and positioned himself at my opening. He broke the kiss and looked in my eyes. I guess he was looking one last time to make sure I wanted this. Satisfied with what he saw, he pushed his cock inside me.

"Oh god," I hissed when I felt him push in. "Fuck."

"Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" he asked.

"No. God, Edward… you feel…. so good," I murmured. And he did; he was so thick, so big, so beautiful. He felt amazing as he moved inside me, as he stretched me open.

"So do you… so fucking good, Bella."

He pulled out and then plunged back in. He continued this over and over, making me scream out his name. I gripped his biceps and wrapped my legs tighter around his waist as he pumped in and out of my body. I saw fucking stars every time he moved within me. No wonder he got sex so easily; he was a fucking genius at it.

"Edward… oh oh… I'm ohhh…" I stuttered out of my mouth.

"Yes, Bella… come for me. I want you to come all over my cock."

Just then everything did explode. I came around him over and over, making him moan out when he felt my juices spill onto him. I held onto his arms tighter as I rode it out. He began to increase his pace pounding me. His body was slick with sweat, his eyes piercing mine as he pumped himself inside me. He let out what sounded like a deep growl as he came inside of me. His whole body was shaking as he collapsed on top of me. I wrapped my arms around his back, feeling the sweat that had formed there. He nuzzled my neck as he tried to control his breathing. I could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he lay on top of me.

Wow. Just fucking wow!

Once his breathing had returned to normal, Edward rolled off me and onto his back. I didn't know what to do, so I remained where I was, on my back next to him. I turned my head to the side when I felt the bed dip. I watched Edward's naked ass as he left the bed and went to the bathroom. A few seconds later he came back. I couldn't help but look at his naked frame; he was stunning.

I smiled as he got back in the bed and he reached for my arm, pulling me to him. I rested my head on his chest and draped my arm across his stomach. I sighed when his arm wrapped around me, holding me closer to him.

No words were spoken, just breathing.

Both spent, it wasn't long before we drifted off to sleep.

(*)

The next morning, I awoke with a smile on my face as the memories of the previous night came back to me. I turned over, wanting to be close to Edward but all I felt was cold mattress. My eyes sprang open and when I looked around I was alone in my bedroom. I rolled to the side of bed he was on and saw his clothes were gone, he was gone.

He was gone.

Gone.

I checked my cell phone for a message, telling myself he had to have a good reason for leaving, but there were no messages. Tears filled in my eyes and poured down my cheeks as I fell back on the bed. I curled up naked in the fetal position and just sobbed.

I should have known better then to let myself believe, even for a minute, that he could change. Edward was a player and there was no changing that. I was just the latest notch on his bedpost.

After what seemed like hours, I finally got up from my bed and got into the shower. As the hot water hit my body, tears fell from my eyes yet again. When I went back to the bedroom after I changed, my eyes fixated on my bed.

The sheets were in a mess and, as if something inside me broke, I started stripping the sheets from the bed. They still smelled like him and I never wanted to see them again. I gathered them up in my arms and went down stairs to the laundry room where I kept my trash bags. I put the sheets in a trash bag and then went out to the garage and threw them in the can. I didn't need any more reminders of him.

He was gone and I was done.

Once a fucking player, always a fucking player.

Lesson learned.

* * *

**A/N: So um... yeah and then there's that. Had to happen. Yes, I can hear it all right now, Edward is a jerk, Bella shouldn't have given so easily, and so on. I can tell you this, while it may seem like Edward is a dick, he really isn't. And he'll tell you why in the next chapter. And Bella didn't given in so easily, she wanted him, has wanted him, so knew what she was going at the time. So please bear with me... it will all be okay. This all had to happen to get these two to really figure some shit out. If they just woke up all mushy, then there would be no story left to tell. And I have so much more to share with all of you... trust! **

**Thanks again to Chandrakanta for the Beta assist. Song choice and pix for chapter have been posted on my FB group, Awish's Fanfiction. **

**Like I said next update, we will finally get a glimpse into Edward's head. **

**So go on, tell me your thoughts... I know you want to.**

**XOXO**


	7. Running Away

**So everyone ready to hear from Edward? I have one word to keep in mind for this chapter... TRUST!**

* * *

**The Friend Line**

**Chapter Seven – Running Away**

**Edward POV**

* * *

I love London, it's my home. I love the culture, the history, and the night life. It was also my safe place. The place I ran to when things were crazy and I needed to be in a familiar place.

So when I found myself at LAX once again yesterday, there was no question as to where I was headed. I bought an insanely expensive ticket to escape what I had just done.

My mind was in a tailspin. One minute Bella and I are friends, best friends, and then the next minute, I was holding her in my arms on the dance floor, and if that wasn't enough, I was then in her bed, deep inside her for the first time. And finally, I was bolting out of her front door before she woke up.

I was stuck on being inside her. I had never felt anything like it; I know that sounds like a sack of shit since I have been with quite a few women, but there was something different about Bella. Her skin was softer, her touch warmer, her scent intoxicating. She was nothing like those other women, not even close, and that scared the ever living fuck out of me.

I didn't feel anything after being with those women; hell, I didn't even remember their names let alone what they smelled like. I could still smell Bella. I could still feel her body wrapped around mine. I could still see her sleeping form as I walked out of her bedroom.

I was fucked up. There was no doubting that.

"Not that I'm not happy to see you, mate, but I thought you weren't coming home for a while after your last visit," Peter said after handing me a beer.

"I didn't think I would be back so soon," I answered, swigging my beer.

"Well, I'm sure your mum will be happy to you see again."

"Yeah, she doesn't know I'm back," I admitted. "I'm kind of hiding out and your flat was the first place that came to mind. Sorry for crashing."

Peter and I had been friends since we were kids and I could always count on him to be around when I needed an escape.

"It's no problem, Edward," he said. "Charlotte is in Paris for the weekend with her girlfriends, so I have the flat to myself for a few days. Do you want to tell me what's got you hiding out?"

I grimaced from his question and there was only one answer.

Bella.

"I fucked up man," I admitted. "I fucked up bad."

"What did you do? Knock someone up?"

"No," I spat. "I had sex with my best friend."

"What?" Peter asked after spewing his beer. "You slept with Bella? What the fuck, dude?"

"I told you, I fucked up."

"What the hell happened?" he questioned. "I thought Bella was the one girl you'd never fuck?"

"So did I," I sighed. I told Peter everything that happened. From the fight Bella and I had to the dance we shared to finally ending up in her bed.

"So where's the fucked up part?" Peter asked.

"The fucked part is... I left," I said, yanking on my hair. "I left her bed, her house, before she woke up. I didn't leave a note or a text, I just crawled out like a fucking dick and the next thing I knew I was on a plane."

"Huh."

"Huh? What the fuck does huh mean?" I snapped.

"Well, it sounds to me like this was the normal thing for you to do. You hit it and quit it, man... that's your thing, dude," Peter pointed out.

I slouched down in my chair. "That may have been what I did, but this time was different."

"Did you have sex with Bella?"

"Yes."

"Did you leave the next morning before any conversation could be had?"

"Yes."

"Sounds the same to me."

"It's not," I hissed. "It was different."

"Why was this time different than any other easy lay?" Peter baited.

"Because it was with Bella."

"And why is Bella different from all your other one-night stands?"

"Because I'm in love with her!" I shouted.

"Ah ha!" Peter shouted back, taking a sip of his beer. "I knew that." He smirked at me.

"How the fuck did you know that when I didn't know it until just now?" I questioned with bated breath.

"Oh come on, Edward, it was clear that there was something going on with you two, even if the pair of you were too damn dumb not to see it for yourselves." He placed his beer on the table and sat back in the chair looking at me. "You both hide behind your friendship, you use it as an excuse like friends can't ever turn into something more. I think you've always known you loved her on some level, you just wouldn't let yourself feel it, so you drowned yourself in all those other women. It was only a matter of time before you realized you loved her."

"It's Bella man," I said. "She is my best friend. She's the only constant in my life in LA. She listens to me…" I trailed off as the realization hit me. "Oh bloody fucking hell, I'm an ass." All the conversations I had with Bella about all the women I have been with made me sick in this moment. She listened to every story of every lay and she just took it. "I am such an asshole."

"So go back to LA and tell her," Peter suggested.

"I can't go back there, it's too late." I sighed. "I asked Gucci to bring me back to the London House and I rented a flat… it will be ready for me tomorrow."

"Edward, what the fuck? You love her, man, and you're not going to go back to her? Now that's the fucked up part."

"It's too late, she already hates me. I left her. It's just best that I… let her go. She deserves better than me, Pete. I don't know how to be in a relationship, I don't know how to be a boyfriend, and I sure as hell don't know to be in love… I already hurt her. I've been hurting her for three years now."

"So you're just going to stay here and never talk to her again?" I nodded. "Edward, being in love doesn't come with a fucking rule book... you just have to embrace it and be the best man you can be."

"That's just it!" I shouted. "I'm not a good man, I have used women..."

"Then fucking stop doing it!" Peter snapped back. "Turn over a new leaf, mate. You have this great girl, don't let her go."

"I wish it were that simple." I walked over to the window and looked out at my home city.

"It can be that simple."

I can't." I sighed.

"Why not? Edward, just get on a fucking plane and go home."

"I can't because I'm... I'm scared."

"Of what, being in love?"

"That yes... I love Bella, okay, there I said it. I love her so much it's making me crazy. But I'm scared of... of screwing up. I'm scared of hurting Bella more than I already have... and I'm scared of hurting me."

"Edward, I've known you for years, you're my best mate. I love you, man; if anyone deserves to be happy, it's you."

"You're a good friend," I said.

"I'm a great friend, what's this good shit?" Peter snarled. "You can make this work, Edward, just go back to LA and tell Bella how you feel."

"I need some time to think," I stated. I walked out on the veranda and inhaled the cool London air.

I do wish it were that simple. But what's done is done. I love Bella, but because I love her, I have to let her go. She deserves so much more than I can give her.

All that was left for me to do was work. I had shoots lined up for the next few months. That was my plan—work, work, work—and try to convince myself that I made the right decision.

After giving me some space, Peter opened the door and handed me my jacket. I looked at him with question.

"Come on, my clueless friend, I think you need a pint," he said, holding out my jacket. I took it from him and nodded.

He was right, I needed a drink. I needed to clear my head and try to forget about life in LA and everyone in it.

I shrugged my jacket on and followed Peter out of his flat. We walked to the tube and then to the local pub. Once inside we went straight to the bar and ordered a pint each.

I just about downed my first one and then ordered another. I was on my way to the best feeling in the world right now... numbness.

"So this is better, right?" Peter asked.

"Oh yeah, it's great." I took another large sip.

"Edward, dude... if you're not going to go back to LA and tell Bella you are head over heels stupid in love with her, then can you please bag the mope and try to have a good time? We always have a good time here."

"I know I'm sorry, mate," I replied, knowing full well he was right. "Can I have another round please?" I asked the bartender.

"That's my best mate." Peter slapped me on my shoulder and sipped his beer.

An hour had passed as I was buzzed. Peter had gone off to take a call from Charlotte and left me at the bar. I felt someone sit next to me and when I looked over, I saw a leggy blonde with big tits sitting next to me.

"Hey there, handsome," she greeted with a smile.

"Hi," I said back to her

"Unattached?" she asked.

"As unattached as they get," I answered. She was pretty and the perfect distraction.

"Lucky me," she winked.

"Can I buy you a drink…?"

"Irina," she answered, interrupting my question. Yeah I was never going to remember that one. "And you are?"

"Edward."

"Well then, Edward, you can definitely buy me a drink."'

I ordered yet another round of numbness and continued chatting with Leggy Blonde.

"You're really hot," she said. "Do you maybe want to go somewhere more private? Like my flat?"

I looked at her in the eyes and downed the last of my pint. I slammed the mug down and smiled at her.

"Lead the way."

She smiled and grabbed her purse. I texted Peter, telling him I'd see him later. I followed Leggy Blonde out of the bar.

Her flat was only a couple blocks away and once we were inside, we both knew talking was not what we were there to do. The next thing I knew I was on her couch with her straddling me, my shirt was unbuttoned, her top was off, and her skirt pushed up, My tongue was in her mouth and my hands were unmoving on her hips. When I felt her reach for my pants and unzip my zipper, I froze.

There was something wrong.

So many things wrong.

She didn't smell right. She didn't feel soft. Her touch wasn't warm. Her tits were fake. Her taste was… stale. I pulled back from her mouth and gripped her hips to lift her off me.

"What's wrong, baby?" she asked, reaching for my open jeans.

I stilled her hand and then stood to my feet, zipping my jeans up and quickly buttoning my shirt. My hands were shaking so I gave up with the buttons half way.

"I'm sorry, I can't do this," I said, yanking on my hair. I never walked away from an easy fuck, but I just couldn't. "I'm sure this would have been amazing, but as it turns out... I am very much attached. I'm sorry."

I didn't give her a chance to speak before I walked out of her flat. When the cool misty air hit my bare upper chest, I tugged my jacket around my upper body. After a short ride on the tube, I was back at Peter's flat. When I got there he was passed out on his bed. I kicked off my shoes and laid down on the couch.

My mind was on Bella and how I couldn't stop thinking about her when I was with Leggy Blonde. My cock wouldn't even cooperate with me on that one. I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to get it up again for anyone but her. But more importantly, I couldn't fuck her, I couldn't do that to Bella. I had done enough already. I was so fucked up. I rubbed my eyes and slammed my face into the pillow.

(*)

The next morning I was awake and sitting at the kitchen table, sipping a cup of coffee when Peter walked in looking like a train wreck.

"When do you get in?" he asked pouring a cup of coffee.

"After you."

"I saw you leave with that hot blonde," he stated with a raised eyebrow.

"Nothing happened."

"Are you losing your touch?"

"No, thank you very much," I barked. "It came close... but I couldn't go through with it."

"And why is that?"

"Not this again, man," I huffed. "You know why."

"Ah, Bella Bella Bella." He chuckled. "Edward Cullen is so in love he passed up an easy fuck... never thought I'd live to see the day."

"Okay, I'm getting out of here. I just got a call, my rental is ready." I put my mug in the sink and grabbed my duffel bag. "Thanks for letting me crash."

"No problem," Peter replied, I nodded and turned to walked away. "Edward, for what it's worth, I think you're making a mistake by staying here. It's clear you're not going to forget about her no matter how many miles you put between you and no matter how many other women come your way."

I inhaled my breath and walked out of Peter's flat. I knew he was right, but it didn't change anything.

Once I got to my new place, I called my mum to let her know I was home and here to stay. Thankfully she bought that it was due to work and didn't ask many questions. I knew that wouldn't last long.

I was suddenly consumed by the quiet that surrounded me. There was no movement, no voices, no nothing. I felt like my chest my hollow.

The numbness would be with me for a long time to come.

* * *

**A/N: Like I said at the beginning chapter... please trust! Edward is really freaked out right now and his actions all around have hit him hard... don't be too hard on him... I promise as the author of this story, it will all be alright! **

**Thanks once again to Chandrakanta for all her help in making this story pretty! She is the very best. **

**Not going to say much more except see you all next week!**

**Tell me your thoughts... *runs and hides***

**XOXO**


End file.
